Rock drill



Dec- 26 1944` J; C. CURTIS ET AL 2,365,682

- ROCK DRILL l I Filed Sept. 18, 1941 ticularly to improvements in a guide for the Patented Dec. 26, H1944 noon DRILL. y `.101m o. oui-tis ana Elmer c. Gartimolaremont N. H., assignors to Sullvan'Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts .Application .september 1s, 1941seria1 10,411,283 v 16 Claims.

This invention relates to rock drills and pardrill steel of a hammer rock drill.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved dri-ll, Steel guide. Another object is to provide an iinproved drill steel guide having novel locking means for locking the .guiding means in guiding position, and novelv means for automatically moving the guiding means into non-guiding vposition when the locking means is released. A further object is `to provide an improved drill steel .guide .ot the pivoted arm type having improved means for locking the guide varms in guiding position, and for automatically swinging the` guide arms into their released nonguiding position when the locking means is released. A still further object is to provide an improved guide locking means which is releasable by engagement of'the'drill hammer motor therewith as the latter. moves along its supporting guide. Yet another object is to provide an improved torsionspring arrangement for automatically eiecting swingingof the guiding arms apart when the. arm locking means. has been released. Another object is to provide an improved drill steel guide of thepivoted guide arm type wherein the guide arms may be individually swung about their pivots into guiding relation with the drill steel, and having individual locking means. `Itis still a. further object to provide a novel lock-ing ign-ated Lis. shown associated with a conventional' hammer rock drill-of the mounted drifter type. Ittwillf be` evident, however, that the improved drillsteel guide may be associated with drills of other types. I l

The hammer rock drill comprises a` conventional drill harnmer motor 2` slidably guided `on al conventional supporting guide 3 `commonly Vknown as a guide shell, the latter adapted to be mounted on a conventional drill support. The

K drill hammer motor has al motor cylinder 4 conarrangement for the guide arms of a drill steel guide. How these and other objects are accom-- plished,. and the advantageous features ofthe invention, will be best understood from the following detailed description. wherein a preferred and illustrative embodiment is set forth, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the hammer rock drill with which the' improved drill steel guide is associated.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of'Fig. 1, showing the arms in guiding position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View similar to Fig.\2, showing the guide arms` in their released non-guiding position.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken substantially on line. 5-5 of Fig. 1. n

Fig. 6 is a detail view in longitudinal vertical guide section taken substantially on line` 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invenslidingly received vvitliinthe longitudinal guideways `8,28 ofthe Vguide shell. The hammer motor may be `fedin a well-known manner along the shell gudeways by means of a conventional feed screw engagedV with a feed nut carried by the motor cylinder so that when the feed screw is lrotat'ed,4 the motor fed longitudinally relative 25 tothe guide shell.l Since, .as abovestated, the rock .drill is .oa conventional' design and is well known to those skilled= in the art, further description and illustration thereof are unnecessary.

"Now referring. to the improved drill steel guide, it willbe observed that attached by bolts 9,. herein. preferablythree in number, yto the front end ofthe. guide shell 3 is a. transverse rear plate ID, hereinY preferably having an integral bearing p'ortion Il' in whichV the-front bearing portion I2 of the 'feed screw is journaled.. Spaced forwardly from the .rear plate Il)V is a parallel front plate f3 likewisesecured to the guide shell by the bolts 9, andy these plates are held in proper spaced relation by spacing sleeves 4 interposed between tion, the improved. drill steel .guide,generally des- 55 the plates on. the boltsfQ. Pivotally mounted on the spacingsleeve's of 'the upper pair of bolts is a. pair of cooperating guide arms l5', l5 each having an. appropriately shaped guiding portion i6. These guide armsare .identical in. shape and designV and are readily interchangeable so that a single `forgingdesign servesfor both arms thereby to reduce the `cost of manufacture; The guiding portions 'i6 of these guide arms are adapted to embrace the` body of the drill steel 5 to hold the latter centered during starting or spotting of' a hole, inthe manner well known to those skilled in the art. The guide arms I5 are also mounted on the spacing sleeves of the upper `bolts for bodily' sliding movementbetween the plates", and the4 arms havevrearwardly Vprojecting lockinglugs I'I engageable with locking projections I8 integral with the rear plate III. The opposite sides of the rear plate are cut away at I9 in adjacency to the locking projections I8 so that the lateral guides I of the drill hammer motor may move forwardly past the rear plate when the guide arms are in their wide open non-guiding position. Coil springs 20 encircling the spacing sleeves of the upper bolts between the guide arm hubs and the front plate, act on the guide arms to hold the latter in their rearmost position with the locking lugs I'I in locking engagement with the locking projections I8 on the rear plate, the guide arms when in their rearmost position abutting the front face of the rear plate in the manner shown. A torsion spring 2I encircling the spacing sleeve of the lower bolt intermediate the arm pivots has its ends respectively engaging depending armlike lugs 22 integral with the guide arms, and this torsion spring serves automatically to move the guide arms into their re leased non-guiding position when the locking lugs are released from the locking projections. Surfaces 23 on the lugs 22 are engageable with abutment surfaces 24 on the rear plate I0 to limit outward swinging movement ofthe guide arms. The springs 20 acting on the guide arms hold the latter in frictional contact with the rear plate, so that the arms are held in their released position with the surfaces 23, 24 in abutting engagement. As shown in Fig. 6 the endsV of the torsion spring 2| are connected to the lugs 22 by means of pins 25 tted within bores 26 in the lugs.

In the operation of the improved drill steel guide, when it is desired to start or spot a drill hole the guide arms I may be swung about their pivots into the position shown in Figs. l, 2- and 4 with the guiding portions I6 in engagement with the drill steel 5, and, at that time, the guide arms are locked in guiding position by engagement of the locking lugs II with the locking projections I8 on the rear plate (see Fig. 5). As the drill hammer motor is fed forwardly along 'the shell guideways, the front chuck housing '6 engages the rear lsurfaces of the guide arms and shoves the arms forwardly bodily along the spacing sleeves on which they are mounted, to effect release of the locking lugs I'I from the locking projections I8. When the guide arm locks are released, the torsion spring2l actsyautomatically to.throw the guide arms into the wide open nonguiding position shown in Fig. 3, so that the drill hammer motor can move forwardly between the guide arms Without interference therewith. Under certain conditions the guide-arms may be individually placed in guiding relation with the drill steel so that but a single guide arm may,

serve as a guide, for instance, `during spotting of a drill hole on an inclined surface. A single guide arm may serve to guide the steel at this time since the steel tends to move laterally only in the direction of the incline. When it is again desired to position the guide arms inA guiding relation with the drill steel, the operator may manually swing the arms against the tension of the torsion spring into guiding relation with the drill steel and then shove the guide arms bodily rearwardly into abutting engagement with the rear plate I0, with the arm locking lugs in vengagement with the locking projections.

As a' result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved drill steel guide is provided which is not only relatively simple in design, but also rugged in construction. It will further be l drill hammer motor therewith, thereby eliminating relatively complicated release devices. Other uses and advantages of the invention Will y' be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drill steel guide, a guide element engageable with a drill steel, mounting means for said guide element providing for pivotal and translatory movements thereof, locking means for holding said element in guiding position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of said element, resilient means for yieldingly holding said guide element in locked position, and resilient means separate and distinct from said rst mentioned resilient means for automatically swinging said guide element about its pivot into its released non-guiding position, when said locking means is released.

2. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of guide arms mounted on said support for pivotal and translatory movements, locking means on said arms and support for locking said arms in guiding position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of said arms relative to said support, and a torsion spring arranged on said support intermediate the pivotal axes of said guide arms and engaging bothl of a the latter for automatically swinging said arms apart about their pivots when said locking means is released.

3. In a drill steel guide, a support including parallel plates, bolts for securing said plates together and spacing sleeves on said bolts for maintaining said plates in proper spaced relation, a pair of guide arms pivotally mounted and also slidably mounted for translatory movement on the spacing sleeves on two of said bolts, locking lugs on said guide arms engageable with locking projections on one of said plates, springs encircling the spacing sleeves on which said arms are mounted for yieldingly urging said arms in a direction to hold said lugs in locking engagement with said projections, said arms being slidable translationally against; the action of said springs to effect release of said lugs from said projections,

relatively movable guide arms mounted on said support to swing relative thereto into and out of guiding relation with a drill steel and for translatory movement longitudinally relative to the steel, means on said support and guide arms for positively locking the latter to said support in steel guiding position and releasabl-e upon transla-tory movement` of said arms inV one direction relative to said support, spring means for moving said arms translationally in the opposite direction relative tosaid support to hold said` locking means in locking position, said arms being movable` translationally in said one direction against the` action of said spring means to ef- `fect release of said locking means, and spring means other than said first mentioned spring means for swinginglsaid arms out of guiding relation with the drill steel when said arms are moved translationally into unlocked position.

5. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of relatively movable guide arms mounted on said support to swing relative thereto into and out of guiding relation with a drill steel and for `translatory movement longitudinally of the steel, means for locking said arms in steel guiding position to said supportand releasable upon translatory movement of said arms in one direction, and a common torsion spring mounted on said support intermediate the arm pivots for swinging said arms out of guiding relation with the drill steel upon translatory movement of said arms into unlocked position.

6. 1n a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of relatively movable guide arms, means for mounting said arms on said support for pivotal and translatory movements, means for positively locking said arms in guiding position to said support, means for moving said arms translationally in one direction yieldingly into locked position and yieldingly to hold said arms in locked position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of said arms in the opposite direction relative to said support against the action of said yielding means, and means distinct from said yielding means' for swinging said arms into their wide open non-guiding posi- .ment mounted on said support for movements lwith respect thereto in different angularly related directions, one of said movements being translatory, locking means for locking said guiding element in steel guiding position to said support, means for yieldingly moving said guiding element translationally to holdv said guiding element in locked position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of said guiding element against the action of said yielding holding means, and means on said support other than said yielding means and operative upon translatory movement of said guiding element into a position whereinsaid locking means is released for moving said guiding element ina different direction into its non-guiding position.

10. In adrill steel guide, a support, a pair of relatively movable guide arms mounted on `said support to swing relative thereto intovand out tion upon translatory movement of said arms l means on said support and arms for locking the` 4latter in guiding position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of'said arms on said two securing elements, and a torsion spring encircling a third of said securing elements and engaging said arms for automatically swinging the latter about their pivots when said locking means is released.

8. In a drill steel guide, a support comprising front and rear members held together in parallel spaced relation by a plurality of spaced parallel securing elements, a pair of guide arms mounted on two of said securingelements for pivotal and translatory movements, locking means on said support and arms for locking the latter in guiding position, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movement of said arms on said two securing elements, springs on said two securing elements respectively for constantly urging said arms into locked position, said locking means being releasable against the action of said springs, and a torsion spring encircling a third of said securing elements and engaging said arms for automatically swinging the latter about their pivots when said locking means is released.

9. In a drill steel guide, a support, a guide eleof guiding relation with a drill steel and for translatory movement longitudinally of the steel, means for yieldingly moving said arms translationally in one direction into a position wherein said arms are held against swinging movement relative to said support in. steel guiding position, said arms being movable translationally in the opposite direction against the action of said yielding'means into a position wherein said holding means is ineffective, and means other than said yielding means for swinging said arms outwardly relative to each other into their wide open nonguiding position when said arms have moved translationally into a position wherein said holding means is ineffectivaand said yielding means also serving yieldingly to hold said arms in their wire open non-guiding position.

11. In combination, a guide shell having guide- Ways for slidingly receiving the guides of a drill steel actuator, a support secured to the front end of said guide shell and having projections in advance of the shell guideways, said projections having cut-away portions in alinement with said guideways providing openings into which the guides on said actuator are adapted to move, and guiding means for the drill steel of said actuator mounted on said support and movable relative thereto into and out of steel guiding position. A

l2. In combination, a guide shell having guideways for slidingly receiving the guides yor" a drill steel actuator, a support secured tothe front end of said guide shell and having projections in ad- Vance of the shell guideways, said projections having cut-away portions in alinement with said guideways providing openings into which the guides on said actuator are adapted to move, and guiding means for the drill steel of said actuator mounted on said support and movable relative thereto into and out of steel guiding position, and said projections also providing abutment surfaces with which surfaces on said guiding means are engageable for holding said guiding means in steel guiding position.

13. In a drill steel guide, a support including spaced front and rear support members, parallel elements for securing said members together and for maintaining the same in proper spaced relation, a pair of cooperatingrelatively movable steel guiding elements pivotally mounted on two of said securing elements between said support members, and a torsion spring encircling a third securing element and engaging said guiding elements for automatically swinging the latter toward their released non-guiding position.

14. In a drill steel guide, a support including spaced front and rear support members, parallel elements for securing said members together and for maintaining the same in proper spaced relation, a pair of cooperating relatively movable steel guiding elements pivotally mounted on two of said securing elements between said support members, springs encircling the securing elements on which said guiding elements are pivotally mounted for yieldingly holding said guidingk elements in steel guiding position, and a torsion spring encircling a third securing element and engaging said guiding elements for automatically swinging the latter toward their released nonguiding position.

15. In a drill steel guide; a support, a pair of cooperating relatively movable steel guiding elements mounted on said support for pivotal and translatory movements, means for locking said guiding elements to said support in steel guiding position and releasable upon translatory movement of said guiding elements in one direction, and a common torsion spring arranged on said support intermediate the pivots provided by said guiding elements and engaging both of the latter for swinging said guiding elements into their non-guiding position upon translatory movement of said guiding elements into a position wherein said locking means is released.

16. In a drill steel guide, mounting means, a pair of relatively movable guide arms supported by said mounting means for pivotal and translatory movements with respect thereto, means for locking said guide arms to said mounting means in guiding relation with a drill steel and releasable upon translatory movement of said arms in one direction with respect to said mounting means, and resilient means for moving said arms translationally in the opposite direction yieldingly to hold said arms in locked position and for swinging said arms about their pivots out of guiding relation with the drill steel when said arms have moved translationally in the opposite direction into a position wherein said locking means is ineiective, said resilient arm swinging means comprising a common torsion spring engaging and acting between said guide arms.

JOHN C. CURTIS. ELMER G. GARTIN. 

